A Small Change
by marciewantsthev
Summary: In which I am inspired by fanart. Sleeping Warrior if you squint.


So this is a oneshot inspired by tumblr user emclainable.

**post/48487670136/haha-i-dunno**

* * *

As they entered Storybrooke and started to grow accustomed to the ways of this strange new land, Mulan and Aurora quickly learned that the people who were respected and the people who were feared had changed somewhat since the curse. They had thus considered Regina to be harmless in Storybrooke, which was a mistake Mulan would not soon forget.

"What do you mean I'm not allowed to have my sword with me at all times? Emma carries that magic not-a-bow with her," Mulan had protested one night, hoping to make Regina understand the situation.

"Ms. Swan is given special permission to carry what we call a _gun_ because she works as the sheriff of this town. Her job requires her to have it on her person at all times," she countered, impatiently waiting for the newest citizens of the town to learn the ways of their new residence. "Meanwhile you still don't have a job."

Mulan glared at the mayor, grabbing the hilt of her sword. "My job is to protect Aurora at all costs, and what I don't understand is how you could ever expect me to do that without my father's blade, hail Mary for her still having it," she snapped, positioning herself between Regina and the princess.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Regina warned, a condensed blue fog forming above her right hand.

"So that's how it's going to be," Mulan remarked, tightening her hand around the grip of the magical blade. As she was about to charge forward, Regina threw the fog towards Mulan and Aurora.

"Aurora, get down!" Mulan screamed. Aurora simply rolled her eyes and sat exactly where she had been standing during the conversation, clearly beyond done with these two and their extreme need of a chill pill.

* * *

"You really should have been more careful, Mulan. You know how dangerous Regina can be if she needs," Aurora chastised her. She reached for her toast, Mulan attempting to swat it away from her, but unable to do so due to her new stature. Aurora set it back on the plate, getting the message.

"How was I to know she would cast a shrinking spell? Those are almost impossible without being applied to a food first," Mulan replied, sitting criss-cross on the kitchen island. "She must have cheated," she added, pouting as her arms were folded across the armor she still wore. She turned to stand, drawing her sword and slicing through the butter.

"What are you doing?" Aurora questioned, confused as of to what quarrel Mulan could possibly have with the food.

"I am buttering your toast. It is my job to help you, is it not?" she replied, walking over to the toast while making sure her sword avoided the tabletop.

"Ok, you can butter my toast, but only this once. And don't get any funny ideas about doing anything else. You're staying put today," she replied, clearly amused at Mulan taking such a simple thing so seriously. Aurora couldn't help but let a smile form on her face as she watched the shrunken woman work, and she propped her head on her hand as she waited.

A few seconds later, Mulan paused, informed Aurora that her toast was ready for consumption, and stepped away from the plate. As Aurora reached for her toast, Mulan gave her buttery sword a look, clearly unsure what to do with it.

* * *

Aurora had quite the day that day, as Mulan would attempt to do anything she could to help make Aurora's day easier. As Aurora had picked up work in a clothing store, she would try to help scan the price tags or type things in on the number pad, hopping from key to key. It was all Aurora could do not to laugh. At the end of the day, they headed back to their apartment, Mulan tucked away in Aurora's purse after protests and the overuse of the word humiliating.

"Can't I help with dinner at all?" Mulan whined, clearly upset with how much she had been inhibited during the past day.

"I've told you a hundred times Mulan, you can't help me very much with your current size. I'm sure Regina's magic will wear off soon, but for now give yourself a break and try to not worry so much," Aurora told her simply, grabbing Mulan to move her someplace safer than next to the kitchen stovetop. As she started walking to the kitchen table, there was a strange blue fog that started coming out of Mulan.

"Mulan? Are you ok? Mulan!" Aurora shouted, cupping the warrior with both hands. The blue fog started surrounding the both of them, and as it cleared, Aurora noticed several things.

The first thing she noticed was that Mulan was back to her usual size.

The second thing was how heavy Mulan was with all that metal armor, which lead to the third thing she noticed. She was holding Mulan off the ground, one hand around her back and the other under her knees, Mulan's arms draped around her neck. Aurora stood there for a moment, letting this all process.

The next thing she heard was the soft thud of Mulan's feet against the wooden floor as she stood on her own. "As great as it is to be carried by you, Aurora, I believe it would be much more efficient for me to walk on my own."

* * *

_Thank you again to that lovely art for inspiring me, and I hope you enjoyed this oneshot._


End file.
